Rotary engine.



PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

G. J. ROWE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1903.

, 10' MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\ o 0 o o o 0 I W Illllliki C. J. ROWE.

- ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,

N0 MODEL.

' PATENTED MAY 10, 1904...

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

hwonfoz 1H0 noro CALVIN JACOB ROWVE, OF

ROTARY Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BROWVNSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,315, dated May 10, 1904. Application filed June 2'7, 1903. Serial No. 163,418. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CALVIN JAooB ROWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brownsville, in the county of White and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in rotary engines, and has for its object to provide an engine of this character which will be durable in construction, easily operated, and in which the various parts Will be accessible for repairs without requiring a great amount of labor in removing other parts. 7

In order to secure compactness and protection from dust, many types of rotary engines are inclosed in heavy casings and the various parts fitted one within another, so that in order to repair some valve or replace an abutment, piston-head, or spring it is necessary to take practically the entire machine apart, adding considerably to the time and money rev quired in making repairs. This disadvantage I overcome by arranging the various parts parallelly upon a suitable base, inclosing those parts requiring protection, and so assembling the parts in general that a particular part-a valve, for eXamplemay be taken out and repaired without materially disturbing other parts of the machine.

My invention consists of the novel features or combination of parts hereinafter d eseribed, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the tubular steam-chamber and slide-valves, the piston-heads being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, a portion of the engine being broken away to show the construction of one of the slide-valves working in the tubular steam-chamber. Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the tubular steam-chamber, showing the packingring and means for securing same in place. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation, partly in section,

showing the reversing-bars Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through the main shaft, showing a portion of the cut-oil wheel in section and showing in dotted lines one of the reversing-bars. Fig. 8 is a detail elevation show ing a strap connected to the packing-ring.

In the construction of my device I employ front and rear base-plates A A. A casting A rises from the bases A and supports the tubular steam-chamber B. A vertical casting A rises from the base A and is strengthened by suitable ribs. The circular tubular chamber B is formed in quarter-sections, eachsection being flanged at each end, as shown at B, the flanges extending outwardly and being elongated on one side of the tube, and the flanges of adjoining sections are bolted together. The central portion of the inner faces of the elongated parts are cut out or reduced in thickness, as shown at B in Fig. 3, and grooves are formed at the extreme ends of the flanges communicating with the reduced portion. Slide-valves B are arranged between adjoining flanges, sliding in the space formed by the reduced portions B and valvestems B attached to the slide-valves and extend outward through the grooves in the ends of the flanges. A red B is pivoted at one end to the upper end of the casting A and is slotted at the opposite end, a pin on the end of the upper slide-valve engaging the slotted end, On each side of the casting A project horizontal arms A", to which are pivotally connected ends of rods B, which are slotted at their opposite ends and engaging outer ends of the horizontallyextending valvestems B. A red B pivoted at its rear end to one of the ribs of the casting A and slotted at its forward end, extends between the bases A and engages the outer end of the valvestem of the lowermost valve B.

Each of the sections of the chamber B is longitudinally slotted, as shown at B outwardly-extending parallel flanges B being formed integral with the edges of the slotted portion, an inner shoulder being formed on each of said flanges.

A shaft C is journaled adjacent one end in the casting A and its opposite end is rigidly secured to a wheel C. The periphery fits and rotates within the slotted portion of the tubular sections forming the steam-chamber. This wheel carries piston-arms C extending within the chamber B, and pistonheads C Extending between these arms are the sections of a packing-ring C, which fits in the slot B bearing on the shoulders formed on the flanges and rotating with the wheel G. The central portion of these packing-ring sections between the shoulders bears on the periphery of the wheel 0, and to hold the ring firmly in place openings C are formed in the wheel C, adjacent its periphery, and the sides of the wheel between the openings and the periphery of the wheel are grooved. Stirrups C fit in these grooves, the ends of each stirrup being secured to the packing-ring and the bow portion lying in one of the openings C In the bow portion of each stirrup is arranged a coiled spring C bearing at one end outwardly on the wheel and on the opposite end inwardly with reference to the axis of the wheel on the bow of the stirrup. It will be obvious that the tendency of these springs will be to hold the packing-ring firmly down on the shoulders of the flanges and against the periphery of the wheel. In the form of engine shown the piston-arms are three in number, and the packing-ring is accordingly in a similar number of sections.

To operate the valve-rods B B, and B there is rigidly fixed on the shaft C between the casting and the tubular chamber B a wheel D, having formed on its forward face a cam-groove D, the groove being extended outwardly and then inwardly at three equidistant points D corresponding in number to the piston-heads, and the points D being the same distance apart as the piston-heads. Pivoted to the valve-rods B B, and B and sliding through suitable guide-arms extending horizontally from the casting A are rods D carrying -rollers at their inner ends, the said rollers engaging the grooves. It will be obvious that rotation of the cam-disk D will alternately move the rods D inwardly and outwardly, imparting a similar motion to the valve-rods B and giving the valve-stems B a reciprocatory motion, each outward and inward movement being-followed by a period of rest.

Arranged on the rear side of each quartersection of the tubular chamber B and adjacent one end thereof is a steam-chest E, and inletpassages E give communication between these chests and the interior of the tubular chamber, each passage opening into the steamchamber adjacent one of the slide-valves B the said valves normally dividing the interior of the steam-chamber B into four separate compartments, three of which will have a piston-head projecting within it. Adjacent the opposite ends of each of the quarter-sections is arranged a steam-chest E having communication with one of the compartments of the steam-chamber through a passage E hen the engine is driven in a forward direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, steam will be admitted through the passages E from the chests E, exhausting through the passages E; but when the motion is reversed by means hereinafter described steam is admitted through the chests E and passages E exhausting through the passages E.

The upper quarter-sections B carry rearwardly-extending brackets F, and supported by these brackets are two steam-chests F and F each of which is divided into a lower cylindrical chamber and an upper steam-chamber. In the upper chamber of the chest F is arranged a slide-valve F, having an outwardly-projecting valve-handle F". Two ports give communication between the upper and lower portions of the chest F, and the valve F is of sufficient length to cover both of said ports when on center, one being closed and one being open when the valve is off center.

Two steam-pipes G and G lead from the cylinder of the chest F, and in this cylinder is a piston F having a slide formed integral with it and adapted .to close the entrance to one of said pipes.

In the chest F the cylinder is divided by a transverse partition F, on each side of which are arranged pistons F each acting as a slidevalve to close a port opening into an exhaustbox F from which leads an exhaust-pipe F. A steam-pipe F opens into the upper portion of the steam-chest F. The pistons F and F are connected by a common piston-rod F Four steam-pipes H are joined together by suitable elbows to form a square frame, and branch pipes H lead from the pipes H to the steam-chests E. The upper pipe H is also connected to the lower end of the pipe G and has communication with one end of the cylinder in the chest F through the pipe G Arranged within the frame H is a smaller square pipe-frame J, comprising four pipe-sections fitted together, as is the frame H. To this smaller frame of pipes is connected the lower end of the pipe G, previously referred to, and a pipe G leads from the upper pipe-section J to the chest F its upper end opening into the chest on the opposite side of the partition from the pipe Steam-pipes J lead from the chests E to the pipes J. Arranged on the shaft C immediately in the rear of the pipe frames is a cam wheel K, having a groove K on its forward face, the groove being cut so that the inner portion of the wheel will form a cam having three elevations or projections K In each chest E E is arranged a piston E*, the rod of each piston being pivoted to an end of a link K rigidly se- IIO cured at the opposite end to a rock-shaft K, journaled at one end in the rear side of one of the tubular pipe-sections B and having at the opposite end a crank portion carrying a roller traveling in the groove K.

A- flanged collar L is slidingly keyed to the shaft and has pivoted to it on opposite sides crooked bars L, pivoted at their forward ends to a sliding collar L the bars sliding through openings L formed in the wheel K. The bars are crooked sufliciently to rotate the wheel K a distance equal to one-twelfth of its circumference, this rotation being relative to the shaft (1. To slide the collar L, a clutch mechanism is arranged as follows: Journaled in a bracket M is a vertical rock-shaft M, to the upper end of which is rigidly secured one end of a crank M having a lower cranked portion rocking a clutch h which slides the collar L toward and away from the wheel K.

When the valve F is on center, no steam will-be admitted to the engine; but when drawn back, as shown in Fig. 4E, steam will pass into the cylinder of the chest F and move the slidepiston F, so that the upper end of the pipe G will be closed and the pipe G open. This movement of the piston F also sets the pistons F in the chest F so that the engine will exhaust through said chest, and it further throws the cam-wheel K into the proper position with reference to the shaft to give a forward motion. From the chest F the steam passes through the pipe G into the pipe-frame H, through pipes H into the chests E, through the inlet-passages E into the compartments of the tubular steam-chamber B, driving the piston-heads from right to left, (see Fig. 2,) escaping through .the passages E into the chests E, through the pipes J into the frame J and through pipe G to the exhaust-box. When the valve F is thrown to the opposite end of the chest F, the upper end of the pipe Ur is covered and that of the pipe Gr uncovered. The collar L is moved toward the wheel K, and the wheel is rotated by the crooked feathering-bars L. Steam passes through the pipe G into the pipe-frame J, through pipes J into the chest 15*, and by way of the passages E into the chambers B, driving the piston-heads from left to right and exhausting through passages E, chests E, pipes 11, H, and G and thence through the exhaust-box of the chest Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An engine of the kind described comprising a rotatable shaft, a tubular steam-chamber encircling said shaft, said chamber being longitudinally slotted on the side adjacent the shaft and having parallel flanges extending from the edges of the slot toward the shaft, said flanges being formed with inwardly-extending shoulders, a wheel on said shaft the periphery of which is adapted to travel within the flanges, arms carried by said wheel said arms extending into the steam-chamber and having piston-heads thereon, packing-strips arranged on the periphery of the wheel be tween the arms said strips being of greater width than the thickness of the periphery of the wheel. and resting between the flanges and on the said shoulders, the wheel having slots formed therein adjacent its periphery, stirrups arranged in said slots, and springs arranged in the stirrups adapted to press same toward the axial center of the wheel and hold the packing-strips firmly down against the periphery of the wheel.

2. In combination with a rotary engine, a central rotatable shaft, a wheel mounted on said shaft and having openings formed in its face and a cam-groove, a plurality of steamchests, a piston arranged in each chest, a piston-rod extending from each chest, rock-shafts having cranked portions carrying rollers, the said rollers traveling in the cam-groove, a collar slidably keyed to the shaft, crooked bars pivoted to opposite sides of the collar said bars being adapted to slide in the openings formed in the wheel and rotate same with reference to the shaft, and means for sliding the collar.

3. A rotary engine comprisinganiain shaft, a tubular steam-chamber encircling said shaft, the tubes forming said chamber being slotted along the side adjacent the shaft, a wheel mounted on said shaft and extending into said slots, a packing-ring arranged in the slots, pistons carried by the wheel and traveling in the tubular steam-chamber, slide-valves working in said chamber, steam-chests secured to said chamber, pistons arranged in the steamchests, a wheel mounted on the shaft and hav ing a cam-groove formed in its face, arms having rollers at their inner ends adapted to engage said groove said arms being adapted to actuate the slide-valves, a second wheel carried by the shaft having a cam-groove formed in itsface, a roller adapted to travel in said groove, and means connected to said roller adapted to regulate movement of the pistons.

T. An engine of the kind. described comprising a shaft, a tubular chamber formed of quarter-sections, each section having an outwardlyextending flange at each end, said flanges having a central portion reduced in thickness, the flanges of adjacent sections being bolted together, a slide valve sliding between said flanges and adapted to extend into said tubular chamber, said tubular sections being longitudinally slotted, outwardly-extending parallel flanges formed adjacent the slots, a wheel secured on the shaft and extending between said flanges, piston-heads carried by the periphery of said wheel, a sectional packingring arranged in the slotted portion of said Wheel on the shaft actuating said valves, steam-chests connected to said tubular chamber, a cam-Wheel on said shaft controlling passage of steam through said steam-chests, and reversing mechanism adapted to rotate the last-mentioned cam-Wheel with reference to the shaft.

CALVIN JACOB ROWE. Witnesses:

EZEKIEL E. HOSKINS, WILLIS E. ROWE. 

